BENTON, KY – Last year a study by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association determined that over 50% of all children under the age of eight has access to a tablet, smartphone, and/or gaming console. Another study from 2015 conducted by the Pew Research Center states that 92% of teens report going online daily.
“We are living in an online world,” says Zach Martin, Digital Media Coordinator for the Marshall County Public Library. “There are nearly 3.5 billion Internet users worldwide. Most of us start our day by checking a social media site. The Internet has become such a staple of our everyday life, we often forget the dangers lurking there.”
Martin says the Internet can be especially hazardous for young users who may stumble across inappropriate content or be approached by a predator. On Friday, August 12, Martin will be joined by Detective Justin Crowell from the Paducah Police Department and Wes Spencer, Chief Information Officer of FNB Bank, to present a program on how to keep kids safe online.
“We will be discussing the different types of social media sites kids are using, showing you how to set up parental controls on various devices, and going over some of the real risks kids face in today’s online culture,” says Martin.
The Keeping Your Kids Safe Online program will be held at the Marshall County Public Library @Benton on August 12 from 6-8 pm. Parents of children of all ages are welcome to attend this free informational session.